Adventurers
- Alfredward (Dwarf 5) - player absent
- Blakath (Fighter 1)
- Koko (Cleric 5)
- Mandras (Dwarf 4)
- Rarder (Fighter 6) and Konrad Claver (Cleric 4)
Rather than attempt any further negotiations, the party let loose with all their missile weapons in hope of enticing the 15ft-high creature towards them, wary of any traps in the wide corridor. Malachie had no such concern, and lumbered forward through the goop, his many tentacles flailing and reaching over the party’s front line, whipping everyone bar Simon who had hung back to continue swinging his slingshot.
The adventurers staggered under the barrage and Malachie seized the opening to swallow Konrad whole. As the cleric perished, his shield activated to curse his slayer. There was a flash from inside the monster’s belly and suddenly the slimy goo around him started crystallising and then solidifying into sand.
A bit firmer underfoot, the adventurers threw themselves at their foe, hacking and slicing but taking a battering themselves, their armour buckling beneath the tentacle blows. Mandras’ was swatted aside and found himself face down on the doormat at death’s door, though not quite forced through it. Koko, despite magic armour and various protective rings in the vicinity, was slain. Alfredward felt Malachie’s jaws clamp around him; somehow he survived to slice through the beast’s torso and slay him.
With both clerics dead and everyone else not far off, the party wearily looked to regroup and retreat with the prize of Malachie’s head. They dropped non-essentials and some valuables to allow them the capacity to drag their fallen comrades’ bodies (disemboweling their victim to extract Konrad) all the way back to the surface. Simon spied a mountain of coins in the gloom beyond and filled his coin purse with platinum coins, but necessity kept the group from giving the haul a proper search.
Slowly they ascended back up through the levels, trying to mentally recall the twists and turns. Fortunately they were unharried as they climbed – there were a few occasional sounds of other temple occupants, but none who seemed willing to confront them – and they emerged back into daylight after nearly 24 hours underground. With their hired troops still present with the horses, they were able to load their late companions and made straight through the woods for the Tower of Sylaire.
After fending off a canine-shaped fiend of twisted branches and sap, they arrived, and were welcomed by Sephora. The elves removed the horn from Malachie’s head and cast the skull out for wildlife to devour, and then saw to providing the party with some healing. The elves refused to have anything to do with human magics and so would not resurrect the two fallen clerics, but they offered an alternative: to be reborn according to the whims of the forest. Seeing little choice, with magic banned amongst the human populations, the party agreed. The next day, after the elvish rituals had worked their magic, Koko awoke feeling a more capable warrior but feeling bereft of his god’s blessings, and Konrad opened eyes considerably closer to the ground than he was used to, with his feet obscured from view by a great big bushy beard.
In line with their Malachie-slaying agreement with the party, Sephora also presented them with a magnificent sword, greatly suited for hacking through undead and the first item on their shopping list from Castle Amber.